The 33rd Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest in 1988 started off with a kidnapping, complete with news coverage and reward money. The contest was held at the Sheraton Hotel on Harbor Island, San Diego. Pillsbury thought it would be fun to have a 4-foot-tall Doughboy figure and a 7-foot-tall Jolly Green Giant figure greet the 100 contestants at the […]
A Kentucky Original
Bourbon Whiskey has been used to enhance the flavors of food for well over 200 years. The Woodford Reserve Distillery of Kentucky has introduced this beautiful cookbook with breath-taking photos and the history of bourbon production going back to the times of Daniel Boone. To begin this culinary odyssey, Woodford Reserve took a panel of well-known regional chefs, […]
Kwanzaa Celebrations
Kwanzaa is a non-religious holiday celebrating African-American heritage, pride, community, family, and culture. It is a seven day festival starting today and it culminates on New Year’s Day. It is based on ancient African celebration and has become increasingly popular over the last decade. More than 20 million people celebrate it in the United States, […]
Christmas Eve
Have a blessed Christmas Eve. This nativity scene is a section of an alter piece carved by immigrant Lars Christenson in the years 1897 to 1904. He adapted illustrations from an American-printed Norwegian Bible to his own primitive style.
Looking for Some Last Minute Cookies To Make?
These cookies are easy, different, and taste fabulous! They use Betty Crocker’s Sugar Cookie Mix, which makes them even easier. These “Baklava Bars” won a prize for me in the 2007 “Mix It Up With Betty” cookie contest, and are featured this month on their website in the “24 Days of Cookies” for Christmas baking. I put […]
Santa, by any other name…
Children of many countries believe in Santa Claus, but most refer to him by a different name. Here are some of the most common names for the jolly old elf. Austria: St. Nikkolo Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland: St. Nicholas Brazil, Peru, and other parts of South America: Papa Noel China: Shen Tan Lao Jen (Christmas […]
Since the Bake-Off Blog From Yesterday…
Good things happen from my Bake-Off blogs that remind me why I write one each week honoring the winner and the contest from each year since 1949. Case in point was yesterday when I received a lovely email from a woman named Phyllis Smith. Phyllis’s mother, Mrs. Claude E. Hughes, won the 2nd Grand National […]
